Site of the Xie Tiao Tower

Site of the Xie Tiao Tower

The Site of the Xie Tiao Tower is a cultural relic protection unit of Anhui Province.

The Xie Tiao Tower is located in the center of Xuancheng City, Anhui Province. Between 494–496 AD, Xie Tiao, a renowned poet of the Southern Qi Dynasty, built a chamber on the summit of Lingyang Mountain north of the prefectural office while serving as the governor of Xuancheng, naming it “Gao Zhai” (High Studio). In the early Tang Dynasty, the “North Tower” was constructed on the original site, and it has been renovated in successive dynasties. The site currently covers an area of 1,100 square meters and stands 9 meters high. The Xie Tiao Tower site dates back to the Qing Dynasty and is located on Fushan Road in Xuancheng City. In May 1998, the Xie Tiao Tower site was designated as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit.

The Xie Tiao Tower site dates back to the Qing Dynasty and is located on Fushan Road in Xuancheng City. Also known as “Gao Zhai,” “North Tower,” or “Die Feng Tower,” the Xie Tiao Tower was built between 494–496 AD when Xie Tiao, a famous poet of the Southern Qi Dynasty, served as the governor of Xuancheng. He constructed a chamber on the summit of Lingyang Mountain north of the prefectural office, naming it “Gao Zhai.” In the early Tang Dynasty, the “North Tower” was built on the original site, with renovations carried out in subsequent dynasties. With a long history, the tower has drawn literati such as Li Bai, Bai Juyi, and Wen Tianxiang since the Tang and Song Dynasties, who visited, paid tribute, and composed poetry here. It is hailed as a “millennium-old historic tower and a cultural gem of Xuancheng.”

The Xie Tiao Tower currently has a remaining site covering an area of 1,100 square meters and standing 9 meters high. The Xie Tiao Tower site dates back to the Qing Dynasty and is located on Fushan Road in Xuancheng City.

With a long history, the Xie Tiao Tower has drawn literati such as Li Bai, Bai Juyi, and Wen Tianxiang since the Tang and Song Dynasties, who visited, paid tribute, and composed poetry here. It is hailed as a “millennium-old historic tower and a cultural gem of Xuancheng.” Located in the center of Xuancheng City, the Xie Tiao Tower is not only a landmark of cultural significance but also a symbol of traditional Chinese poetry and literature.

The Xie Tiao Tower was last destroyed in the Japanese bombing of 1937. After the liberation, the site was turned into a martyrs’ cemetery. In 1997, a new Xie Tiao Tower with soaring eaves, winding corridors, and impressive grandeur was reconstructed on the original site. To protect the Xie Tiao Tower site, the protected area extends 50 meters in all directions from the base of the tower. The construction control zone is defined as 100 meters south, 80 meters west, and 50 meters east and north beyond the protected area. The Xie Tiao Tower Management Office and Xie Tiao Park have been established. Advocates have called for the development of a Xie Tiao Tower scenic area, and relevant departments have planned to build a large-scale cultural square beneath the tower. In May 1998, the Xie Tiao Tower site was designated as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit.

Protected Area: 13 meters east of the stone retaining wall, 10 meters west of the remaining brick and stone walls, 6 meters south of the lower edge of the remaining steps, and 5 meters north of the remaining brick and stone walls.

Construction Control Zone: 60 meters east, 25 meters west, 164 meters south, and 55 meters north beyond the brick and stone walls (up to Mudirect Street) outside the protected area.